The present invention relates to a cosmeceutical composition having both UV (ultraviolet) blocking and sliming effects. More specifically, the invention relates to the cosmetic composition having remarkably enhanced UV blocking and slimming effects without any harmful effects on the skin, containing laminaria water extract, octylmethoxycinnamate and oxybenzone.
Generally speaking, UV in the sunlight is classified into long-wavelength UV (UVA: 320-400 nm), medium-wavelength UV (UVB: 280-320 nm) and short-wavelength UV (UVC: 200-280 nm). Recently, the ozone layer becomes thinner and thinner due to the air pollution and in particular, has been severely disrupted in such an area as South Pole. Therefore, the human body has become to be exposed to more and more UV. Hitherto, UVC, extremely harmful to the human body, has been absorbed into the ozone layer and has reached the surface of the earth only at a negligible amount. Accordingly, UVA and UVB have been the main factors causing harmful effects on the skin. UVA has a tanning effect on the skin by formation of melanin and causes photo-toxicity, photo-allergy, etc. Medium-wavelength UV UVB, having a larger energy than UVA, causes sunburn (accompanying erythema or blister), skin cancer, pigmentation, denaturation of skin proteins, keratinization of skin cells, etc.
Therefore, a number of studies to develop cosmetics containing a UV blocking agent for the purpose of protecting the skin from harmful UV have been carried out. Hitherto, organic UV absorbents, such as octylmethoxycinnamate, butylmethoxydibenzoyl -methane, octyldimetyl PABA, cinnoxate, etc., have been used as UV absorbents. Inorganic pigments, such as titanium dioxide, ultrafine titanium dioxide particles, zinc oxide, ultrafine zinc oxide particles, talc, mica, kaolin, ferric oxide, etc., have been used as UV scattering agents. Organic UV absorbents have good absorption capability within a specific range of wavelength, but generally, have a narrower absorbable range of wavelength than inorganic UV scattering agents due to characteristics in the molecular structure. Therefore, it is required that organic UV absorbents having different ranges of the maximal absorption wavelength should be simultaneously used. In addition, because they are lipophilic and synthetic chemicals, they cause many kinds of harmful effects on the skin, particularly, allergies due to the light. For such reasons, organic UV absorbents are legally regulated as special materials and the quantity of use is regulated restricting the maximal content in cosmetics. Inorganic UV scattering agents have a UV blocking effect by scattering or reflecting UV. Accordingly, in case of using them solely, a sufficient UV blocking effect cannot be obtained due to the penetration of UV that has not been scattered or reflected. Moreover, in case of combining them in large quantities, cosmetics are likely to become coarse and the makeup looks unnatural. Particularly, ultrafine zinc oxide particles are good materials providing for the UV blocking effect and particularly, astringent and soothing, and wound healing effects on the skin irritated by the sunlight. However, in case of combining them with cosmetics at more than a specific amount, reaggregation occurs and leads to deteriorate the stability of cosmetics, for example, to disrupt emulsification. Therefore, their used amounts must be strictly regulated.
Generally, organic UV absorbents and inorganic UV scattering agents are simultaneously contained in UV blocking cosmetics to complement drawbacks from each other. However, because the content of each UV blocking agent is restricted, such a method cannot but have limit in solving the problems.
On the other hand, considerable kinds of cosmetics for slimming a particular part of the human body are currently commercialized. They contain natural substances derived from plants such as Boston ivy, caffeine, marronnier extracts, etc. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,359 discloses a slimming agent. In said patent, xcex2-adrenergic agonists, preferably, theophylline, isoproterenol, forskolin, epinephrine, etc. are described as active agents for slimming. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,433 discloses the use of methylxanthine, particularly, caffeine and derivatives thereof, for providing the slimming effect.
However, slimming agents having been hitherto commercialized are not substantially effective. This is because the agents have been recommended being used in combination with other slimming programs or slimming diets. Especially, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,359, it is uncertain whether the weight reducing effect is derived from the slimming program or diet, or from the slimming agent.
The present inventors performed extensive studies to develop a new cosmeceutical composition having UV blocking and slimming effects. As a result, the inventors discovered that such cosmetic composition having both UV blocking and slimming effects could be obtained by combining laminaria water extract, octylmethoxycinnamate and oxybenzone in an appropriate ratio, and completed the present invention.
An object of the present invention is to provide a cosmetic composition having both UV blocking and slimming effects.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparing said cosmetic composition.
The present invention relates to a UV blocking and slimming cosmetic composition comprising laminaria water extract, octylmethoxycinnamate and oxybenzone.
In the present invention, the laminaria water extract is obtained by extracting laminaria with water under warming. Examples of laminaria employable in the present invention include Laminaria spp., for example, L. japonica, L. ochotensis, L. religiosa, etc.
The present composition may further contain one or more cosmetically acceptable carriers, auxiliaries and additives. That is, the composition contains laminaria water extract, octylmethoxycinnamate and oxybenzone as essential ingredients and may be manufactured into a conventional cosmetic formulation such as creams, lotions, solutions and suspensions by further containing one or more ingredients conventionally used in the manufacture of cosmetics.
In a preferable embodiment, the present composition contains 30 to 80% by weight of laminaria water extract, 3 to 10% by weight of octylmethoxycinnamate, and 1 to 5% by weight of oxybenzone. It may further contain one or more auxiliaries, diluents, preservatives, viscosity adjusting agents, antifoaming agents, cream bases, etc. in the amount of 30 to 80% by weight. The examples thereof include cetanol, stearyl alcohol, mineral oil, propylene glycol, white vaseline, polyoxyl stearate, Span #60, Tween #80 (polysorbate), methyl paraben, propyl paraben, sodium pyrosulfite, glycerin, ethanol, purified water, silicone resin or flavors, etc.
This invention will be better understood from the following examples. However, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate the specific materials and results described are merely illustrative of, and are not intended to, nor should be intended to, limit the invention as described more fully in the claims which follows thereafter.